Influence of integrated human resource information system on service delivery in the health sector at Nairobi City, Kenya

Abstract

Service delivery in the health sector, crucial for a healthy nation, is influenced by various factors, including the nature of the service provided. In Kenya, devolution aimed to enhance accountability and improve service delivery, particularly in the health sector. This study focused on Nairobi City County's health sector, investigating the impact of the integrated Human Resource Information System (iHRIS) on service delivery. It evaluate the components of iHRIS on service delivery, the contributions of iHRIS on service delivery and the challenges of iHRIS on service delivery in Nairobi City. The study, grounded in system theory, technology adoption theory, and resource- based view theory, used an explanatory research design targeting 260 health workers in Nairobi City County. From 17 sub-counties, three were selected for having fully implemented iHRIS, with a sample size of 130 respondents determined through stratified random sampling. The study revealed that iHRIS components significantly influence service delivery. It was found that iHRIS enhances workforce management, leading to improved health services, with strong positive correlations (p-value < 0.005) and regression results indicating a substantial impact on service delivery. The iHRIS manage showed a coefficient of 0.944, iHRIS train 0.026, and iHRIS plan 0.011, all positively influencing service delivery (P < 0.05). An adjusted R square of 0.743 implied that 74.3% of service delivery variation in Nairobi City County is attributed to iHRIS components. The study also highlighted that effective iHRIS application leads to better data storage and security, enhancing service delivery. However, challenges like insufficient training, inadequate infrastructure, and resistance to change negatively impact iHRIS application and service quality. Conclusively, the study underscores iHRIS's crucial role in service delivery improvement in Kenya's health sector. It recommends that all health institutions in Nairobi County should fully implement iHRIS, ensuring the utilization of all components - iHRIS manage, train, and plan - to enhance service delivery and maintain a competitive edge in human resource systems. Future research should explore iHRIS's impact across different Kenyan counties, investigate the influence of organizational culture and confidentiality on iHRIS effectiveness, and develop methods to enhance questionnaire response rates and completeness for a deeper understanding of iHRIS in diverse contexts.